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Cards not expected to vie for Young's services

Cards not expected to vie for Young's services

2/7/2011: MLB.com's Jim Duquette talks about the possibility of the Rangers parting ways with team captain Michael Young

By Matthew Leach
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MLB.com |

ST. LOUIS -- Michael Young may be interested in the Cardinals, but if so, it does not appear that the feeling is mutual.

Young has requested a trade from the Rangers, the only Major League team he has known. His contract includes a partial no-trade clause, specifying eight teams to which he can be traded without waiving no-trade protection. St. Louis is one of those eight teams, but it does not appear that the Redbirds will be the destination for the veteran infielder.

General manager John Mozeliak said on Tuesday that he could not see a fit on such a deal. Young has played second base, shortstop and third base in the Major Leagues but has been exclusively a third baseman for the past two seasons. He hasn't played second since 2003. And the Cardinals like David Freese, who has had injury issues but has been an effective hitter during his brief stints in the big leagues.

"We're going to give [Freese] every opportunity at this point," Mozeliak said. "It's just a very difficult fit at this time."

And that's without getting into the matter of Young's contract, which would be extremely onerous for the Cardinals -- or nearly any other team -- to take on. Young is owed $48 million over the next three seasons.

Young batted .284 with a .330 on-base percentage and a .444 slugging percentage in 2010.